One of the devil's plans for young people is to get them to compare themselves with others, judge themselves as deficient, and then seek to be someone they were not created to be. Our prayers can block this plan of the enemy and give our children a clear vision of themselves and their future. (Power of a Praying Parent, Stormie Omartian)
Exposing the devil's plans helps others avoid being entangled in them. What Ms. Omartian mentioned in this devotion, is definitely true. While most of the comparison may be in the physical (looks, material things, how many friends they have or don't have); our children may be deceived into comparing themselves with others spiritually as well.
When I read the devotion, I immediately remembered the scripture that says God gives us all a "measure of faith". I remember being around some of my sisters in faith and watching them operate in the Spirit; praying, speaking in tongues, laying hands on people, teaching, and preaching...and thinking that my faith was weak because I wasn't flowing like them. I also had not gone through what they had gone through! When we compare ourselves to others, we will always sin because we will judge ourselves and envy the person who is the object of our comparison. Eventually, we may even try to be the other person or something God never intended us to be...all because we didn't recognize the standard or measure to which God was holding us accountable.
Don't copy the behavior or customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly. (Romans 12:2-8, NLT)
Lord, as we pray for our children, help us to provide them with a vision of themselves according to how You see them. Help us to remind them that before they were formed; You knew them! Help us to remind them that You have plans to prosper them, to give them hope and a future. Help us to remind them that You have called them fearfully and wonderfully made. Help them to see what you see and know that the only person they need to compare themselves to is Christ. In Jesus name, Amen!
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